Prognostic role of C-reactive protein in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A meta-analysis and literature review

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) has been shown to be associated with several tumors. However, its association with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is not well characterized. We performed a literature review and meta-analysis to assess the prognostic relevance of elevated CRP levels in patients with NPC. METHODS: A literature search for relevant studies was performed on PubMed (Medline), the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were calculated to assess the association between elevated CRP levels and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Five studies with a combined study population of 5215 patients with NPC were included. Pooled hazard ratios for overall survival and distant metastasis-free survival were 1.84 (95% CI = 1.57–2.17) and 1.81 (95% CI = 1.53–2.14), respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that types of indicators and treatment before inclusion had no significant impact on the observed association. CONCLUSION: Elevated serum CRP levels in patients with NPC were associated with worse prognosis.